howard



M. H. HOWARD.

TICKET PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED )ULYSII I9l9.

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M. R. HOWARD. `TICKET, PRINTING MACHINE. 1112P11c^1or1man 1u14Y3 1. 1.91.9.

INVETOR.

IIS ATToRNEY. f `r M. R. HOWARD. y TICKET PRINTING MACHINE.

APPucATloN man JuLYsl. 1919.

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-'M. n. HOWARD. TICKET PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IULY 3*.1. 1919.

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INVENTOR.

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ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-,HALF T 1 n. 303mm, or NEW Yoan, N. Y. i TICKET-murmure norman Application nea July 31,1919. serial No. 314,523.

To all whom vit may comem:

Be it known that I, MAURIGER. HOWARD, a `subject of the King of Great Britain, resid ing at Chesham, Bucln'nghamshlre, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ticket-Printing Machines, of which the following is a specification.,

reference being had therein to the accompan ing drawing. l y

This invention is a ticket printing machine, and more particularly a machine which may be selectively operatedfor the purpose of -printing and issuing tickets for various purposes. The particular design of machine herein shown is for printing the destination and other data, such as serial number and date, upon railway passage tickets, to be used at the ticket sellers window; but the principles may be used in machines designed for various other purposes, such as printing andissuing' tickets for theeters, amusement parks and halls, sales counters and the like.

`The main objects of the present invention are to afford a ticket prlnting machine which will be convenient in use, minimizing trouble and thought of the operator, yet sure and quick in its action. Another object is to enable a machine of the class mentioned to be built at comparatively low cost, yet durable and efficient in use. Other and further objects will be elucidated in the hereinafter followin description or will be apparent to .those skilled in the art.

To the attainment of such objects and advantages the' present invention consists in the novel ticket printing machine and the novel features of structure, combination, arrangement, mechanism and detail herein illustrated, described or claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a. front elevation of a ticket prlnting machine of thef class and type mentioned, embodying and illustratingshowing the parts in a different position.

Flg. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. l.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detached perspective views of certain parts of the mechanism.

Specication of Letters Patent.

`as shown, carries around Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

In the particular form or embodiment shown the present invention includes one or more of the following elements. A rotary type carrier or drum has around --or near lts periphery a series of printing members comprlsmg the type for printing the name of the destination stations, or of both stations between which all .other printed matter desired, so `that plain unprinted cards may be used. Above this is a ticket or blank supply or magazine from which a card or blank is extracted and dropped upon the proper portion or printing member ofthe rotary carrier as the latter advances. An inking device is used for applying mk to the type. A roller or other presser 1s used for applying pressure to force each ticket against the inked type. A passage or chute conducts the printed ticket and dischar es it within'reach of the seller or buyer. he rotary carrier or drum has push buttons or other selective devices, and these act to set certain mechanism into acthe ride is taken, and4 tion which determines the place of depositing each blank ticket, that is, upon which printing member. The carrier drum also carries consecutive numbering devices, so that the successive tickets to each destination are numbered in proper order. Also a meter or counter is employed to keep count or register of the sales. Means also are shown for printinv the date of sale on the reverse side of eac ticket.

Specifically the illustrated embodiment of the present invention may comprise a base 10. A suitablehousing or casmg may be employed to conceal and protect the mechanism against injury and tampering. At the front side of the base is an upright standard 11, and at the rear a standard 12. Journaled to these two standards is the main shaft or axle 13.

The rotary type carrier, cylinder or drum 15 is mounted on the axle 13. This carrier, its' periphery a series of printing plates 16, having the characters or type for printing the names of the various destinations to which tickets are to be sold. For illustration a carrier is shown having fifteen of the-type plates. The number could be largel increased, or the ticket office could be supp ied with a number of the apparatuses.

he type drum 15 may be rotated by hand, for example, through a handle on the axle 13, but is .preferably power driven to the extent of one revolution at each operation, and for this purpose a large gear 17 is shown mounted on the drum or axle, the -same being engaged and driven by a pinion 18, mounte on the shaft of a suitable driving motor 19.`

As will be explained, the power is automatically thrown on and off at each operation. In order to bring the drum to rest at the end of a rotation, at its normal position, a stop device 20 may be employed. Ink may be supplied to the various type plates in any suitable manner, for example, as indicated by the inking device 22.

At the front or face of the rotary drum 15 are a series of selective push buttons 25, each-of which when pressed rearwardly sets or moves rearwardly near the rear periphery of the drum a corresponding finger or contact 26. The button 2.5* is supposed to have been pressed, and the finger 26* is seen in Fig. 3 as standi-ng rearwardly farther than the other fingers. Adjacent each buttonon the drum face is an inscription 27, stating the station or matter to be printed. These preferably all read one wa so that by returning t e drum to the il ustrated normal position, they are equally easily read. Near each station inscription or prop erly associated therewith is an aperture 28 1n the face of the drum through which maybe inspected and read the counter or meter indicating the number of tickets sold, described.

Rather than continuing the description of the mechanism carried by the type drum, it will be convenient, first to describe the mechas will be more fully anism for feeding the tickets or blanks upon Y the periphery of the drum, and subsequently describe the selective connections.

Above the top of the periphery of the printing drum is a hopper or magazine 30, consisting of a four-walled structure, in which are deposited face down a stack of blank cards or tickets 31. These may be partially printed, for example, with the name of the railway or route, a series nuinber, legal notices and reservations, and the like, with blank spaces for the name of the destination or the names of the stations between which the passage is to be made.

The lowermost ticket rests upon a bottom `plate 32, and is held there frictionally against displacement. A slot or space is le ,at the right and left hand walls, so that a feeder plate 33 may enter at the right and force the bottom-most ticket out at the left. The bottom plate 32 is shown inclined so that itsleft extremity is in close proximity or tangent to the periphery of the rotary drum. o i

When the ticket is thrust out by the feeder plate 33, it passes directly upon the periphery of the drum, and thence beneath a pressure roller 35, which bears against ortoward ing this action the ticket is suiiciently pressed against the inked type of the printing plate 16 to properly take the impression of the names of the station or stations which have been selected by means of the push button 25*. The pressure roller 35 1s preferably driven by a gear 36, mounted on the axle 37 of the pressure roller, and meshing with the gear 17 at the rear side of the drum. By reason of this and by the fact that the periphery length of the pressure roller corresponds with one uniteof advance of the drum, I am enabled to employ. the roller as a dating device, and date prlnting type 38 are indicated on the roller. This will impress on the rear or upper side of each ticket the date of sale. An inking device 39 may be employed to supply ink to the date typle 38.

he ejector or outfeeding slide 33 is shown as fitted to move into and from the hopper along an extension or guide 41, which is slotted underneath to permit a rack 42, formed at the lower side of the slide, to protrude downwardly where it may be engaged by an actuating gear 43. The shaft on which the gear 43 is mounted carries also a pinion 44, vwhich is engaged by a toothed segment or rack 45, fitted to move up and down in engagement with the pinion by means of its carrying lever 46, which is noi'- inally pulled up by a spring 47, but adapted to be forced down through its bent extension or tail 48, which stands in finger 26*. This finger, as before stated, is one of the lingers 26, which lias been thrust rearwardly to stand out in the path of the tail 48, as shown in Fig. 3.

By this mechanism the feed-operating finger, when set by the pressing of the correspending selective button, coperates with the tail 48 ofthe lever 46, so as to throw downwardly the rack 45 and rotate the pinion 44 and 'gear 43, which latter, acting on the rack 42, thrusts the ticket feed or ejecting slide 33 to the left in Fig. 1, thus outfeeding and thrusting the lowermost blank or ticket directly upon the top side or periphery of the rotary carrier or drum 15, at a point above the printing member or plate 16, corresponding to the selective button which has been pressed. The outfeeding ticket advancing substantially with the advance of the printing plate is smoothly and accurately laid in proper position, and during its movement out from the hopper it is engaged by the pressure roll 35 and forced intimately against the inked type of the printing member, so as to receive the name of the station and other printed matter below, while at its upper or rear side the ticket is printed with the date, as already explained. The ticket continuing its forthe path of the ward movement from the printing oint, passes directly into the channel or disc ar chute 50, which carries it to the table or counter near to the ticket chaser.

We come now to the selective mechanism and details of the devices controlled by the selective buttons and carried by the rotary carrier or drum 15.

Each button 25 has direct or Vindirect mechanical connection to the feed operator or finger 26. The connection, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, may consist in a pivoted lever 55, connected b a link 56 to a collar 57 on the finger 26. n some cases, as shown in Fig. 6, the button 25 may be directly on the finger 26. The fin er or feed operator is shown in the form of the front through to the rear of the rotary carrier or drum. It slides in a sleeve 58 near its rear end, and is similarly guided b a shorter sleeve member 59 at the front. plate spring 60 is shown, tending alwa s to press the finger 26 forwardly to norma sition. Fig. 4 shows the normal position, and Fig. 5 shows the shifted or set position after the button 25 has been pushed.

When the button is pushed and the feedl operating finger is moved to operative position, it is desired to lock or latch it there until it has performed its functions. For this purpose it is formed with a shoulder 62 near the front end, the same coperating with a latch or lock piece 63, which is pressed rigidly outward by plate spring 64. By this arran ement, when the finger is pressed to the ig. 5 position, the latch or lock 63 springs from the Fi 4 to the Fig. 5 position behind the shoul er 62, and the parts are thus held until subsequently res ored, as will be explained.

' This act of selectively setting the finger 26 places it in position to strike and thrust upwardly the bent lever near the top of the machine through which a blank ticket is fed upon the periphery of the drum. At the same time provide for starting into operation the drivlng motor 19. This being done automatically saves the attention of the operator. A contact 67 is mounted at the rear of each linger 26. Extending behind each contact67 is astrip contact 6 8. The various stri contacts are mounted radially, as seen in ig. 2, each having an insulated connection 69 at the rear face of the drum. All of the contact strips 68 are in electrical connection with a simple contact ring 70, which turns with'the drum and is in constant contact with a brush 71, which also is insulated. The electrical circuit will pass through the described parts, and through the eneral or non-insulated parts of .the mac 'ne, and thence through a battery' and the motor.

4Thereby the motor will be started into operation whenever one or more of the lingers salesman or pur.

a sliding rod extending from4 26 are thrust rearwardly by the selective buttons.

As an automatic resetting or v restoring means I show an extension 74 on-the lock or latch piece 63, and a swinging resetting dog 75, which normally stands as in Fi 4, but swings outwardly to the position 75 shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The entire series of dogs 75 is arranged to pass beneath a resetting cam or contact 76, located just beyond the ticket feeding hopper; thereby the drive con tinues until the printing member has passed the hopper, received a ticket and printed and dischar then resto as stated. This forces back the lock or latch 63 from the Fig. 5 to the Fig. 4 position against the resistance of the spring 64. When the latch reaches the normal position shown in Fig. 4, the spring 60 comes into play to thrust forwardly the rod or finger 26, which thus takes its normal place, at which it holds the latch restrained, ready for a new operation.

It will be understood that the restoration of the feed operator or finger 26 simultaneously separates the contacts 67, 68, and discontinues the drive. The momentum of the parts may suflice to carry theV drum around to normal position, -at which it will be stopped by the device 20 before mentioned;

but momentum may be supplemented by turning the drum by hand, and the addition of a peri heral welght 78 will assist in restoring t e parts to Vnormal position in which the several inscriptions on the dial of the drum will read correctly.

In order to give each ticket a serial or consecutive number, a numbering device 80 is employed, there being one for each of the selected mechanisms described. This numberin device may consist of shiftable type wheeigs in a usual manner, and may be operated by a pawl 81, shown as mounted on the resetting dog 75. The numbers which appear at the periphery of the drum project through an aperture in the printing member or plate 16, and these impress the proper number on the ticket.

At the same time count may be kept of the numbers of tickets sold to each destination, thus enabling the total business to be reckoned up at will. For this purpose a counting device 83 of any usual type may be employed, preferably operated by a pawl 84, drlven by a link 85, connected with the latch or lock piece 63. The counting device numbers, whlch indicate the count .of the tickets, appear through the, apertures 28 at the face or dial of the drum, as already stated, each of these corresponding with one of the push buttons 25 and inscriptions 27.

The various devices and operations de-l scribed are controlled and operated Selectively by the pressing of the desired button. The pressure of the button shifts the finger 26, and this closes and afterward opens the circuit 0f the driving motor. The lock 63 springs into osition to hold the finger where it is set. his act determines the subsequent operation of the mechanism. The lock as well as the finger takes a Set o'sition upon the pressing of a button. T e lock itself is available-as a mechanical part able to eifect other operations. It is more available than the finger, and therefore I preferably o rate from the lock or latch 63, as describe the resetting dog 75, the numbering mechanism 80, and the counting mechanism 83.

The operator is not limited to the issuing of a single ticket at a time, that is, one ticket for each rotation. Gbviously if he simultaneously presses two buttons, or even more,

the corresponding feed operating fingers, two or more in number, will be set, and each in its turn will canse the ejection and depositing of a ticket upon the drum, to be printed and delivered-down the chute. The

current wiil not be cut oira until the last ci the fingers has been restored through the described resetting devices.

t-wiil thus be seen that have described a ticket printing machine embodying the principles and attaining the advantages of the present improvement. Since, however, many matters of combination, arrangement, mechanism and detaii may be variously modified without departing from the underlying principles, no limitation is intended except as set forth in the appended ciainis.

' What 'is claimed is:

1. A ticket printing machine, comprising i a rotary carrier with vprinting members thereon, selecting members or buttons carried by the carrier, a feed-operator or finger set by each selective member, and a ticket feed mechanism actuated or timed by said feed-operator, whereby a ticket is lfed seiectively to the desired printing member on the carrier.

2. Machine as .in claim i and wherein a means or device' is employed to restore the momes fed and printed ticket is discharged to a delivery chute.

6. Av ticket printing machine having a rotary carrier with printing members around the same, ticket feeding means comprising a magazine above the rotary carrier and a device for outfeeding a ticket therefrom and depositing it on a selected printing member on the carrier, and selective devices on the carrier for actuating or timing said outfeeding device.

7. Machine as in claim l and wherein the ticket feed mechanism comprises a magazine, a device for outfeeding a ticket therefrom, and connections engaged or actuated by the finger carried by the rotary carrier for operating the outieeding device at the proper time.

' 8. Machine as in claim l and wherein the carrier carries a ticket numberer for each printing member, and connections actuated at each printing for advancing the numberer.

9. A ticket printing machine comprising a rotary drum, a series of printing members around the same, a series ci: corresponding selective buttons on the drum, a feed-open ator or )finger for each button carried by the drum and set by its button, and ticket eeding mechanism actuatedor timed by said feed-operator to feed a ticket to the correspondin printing member.

l0. achine as in claim 9 and wherein a drive motor rotates the drum, and connections operated in setting the feed-operator for starting the motor.

l1. Machine as in claim 9 and wherein a drive motor rotates the drum, and connections operated in setting the feed-operator for starting the motor, and in restoring it for cutting od' power.

i2. Machine as in claim 9 and wherein a iock or latch retains the feed-operator iinger when set.

i3. Machine as in claim 9 and wherein a lock shifts to retain the linger when set and to advance a ticket numberer.

i4. Machine as in claim 9 and wherein a lock shifts to retain the iinger when set and to advance a ticket counter.

l5. Machine as in claim 9 and wherein each feed-operating linger is provided with a lock, holding it when Set, a resetter shifted by said lock, and means exterior to the drum for shifting the resetter to restore the parts after each feedin -operation In testimony whereo li have affixed my signature hereto.

MAURICE RALPH HOWARD. 

